Age Tofu At Sushi Sono -- Outside the Fish

Age Tofu at Sushi Sono

No one beats the sushi at Sushi Sono in Columbia, but I recommend the age tofu appetizer if you want to step outside the fish.

This is the kind of dish that makes me never fry at home.

I look to professionals like the Sushi Sono kitchen that turns our perfect crisp blocks of silky firm tofu.  They're crunchy, but not oily.  Hot pieces that are easy to lift onto your  plate and then spoon over with the dashi broth at the bottom of the bowl.  The flavor -- earthy and warm -- comes from that broth and the large slices of dried fish that actually wave as the heat from the tofu.

Your first piece of tofu will be hot and crisp.  The second will have rested a few minutes in the broth and become a bit chewier and more flavorful.  It's a terrific treat and another lesson about how Sushi Sono worries about texture and subtle flavors, far more than fancy sauces or spices.

If you like age tofu, I also recommend the same appetizer at Shin Chon Garden in Ellicott City.  They're different dishes, but it's a testament to the flexibility that age tofu contrasts equally well with a plate of tofu or a grill full of Korean barbecue.